Ball Relays for Field Day

Setup and Equipment:

  • Four Playground Balls
  • Four Medicine Balls
  • Set of four balls of different shapes and sizes.
  • Four cones and four polyspots
  • Golf tubes and tennis balls

Guidelines: Teams line up behind the cone of their color team for directions

Round One: Over Under Relay

  • The object is to be the first team to cross the finish line.
  • Teams members line up in a line facing the finish line. Put a little space between them each other, so they can pass a ball behind each other down the line.
  • The first person on each team raises the ball above their head.
  • Leader says, “Go”
  • The starting person on each team passes the ball between their legs, the person behind then raises the ball above their head and the over/under pattern continues until the last person gets it.
  • When the ball gets to the last person in the line, that person runs all the way back up to the front, which will move the line forward. The pattern of over/under passing continues until all of the teams cross the finish line at the opposite end.
  • Or you can see how many turns they can get in 3 minutes.

The Most Fun Wins!
Round Two: Boulder Passing (medicine ball)

  • Teams stand in a line next to each other.
  • Leave enough room for side to side passing:
    The ball again starts in the front, but this time the ball will be pass from side to side.
  • When the ball gets to the last person in the line, that person runs all the way back up to the front, where the pattern of side to side passing continues until all of the teams cross the finish line.

Running Relay

  • Break the four teams in half and line up one half  in front of the starting spots and the other half behind the cones about 15 – 20 yards away.
  • Each team has their color team playground ball.

Guidelines:

  • The first person on each team has a ball. On the signal the first person on each team runs to the opposite end carrying the ball, then hands it to the next person in line, then goes to the end of the line.
  • Continue until everyone is back to the starting position.
  • Most fun wins!

 


Partner Ball Relays:

  • Break the four teams in half and line up one half  in front of the starting spots and the other half behind the cones about 15 – 20 yards away.
  • The first two people on each team step stand behind their spots at one end, facing the rest of their team, standing behind the cone at the other end. If there is an odd number of people, teams may try to use three people to move the ball, or someone can volunteer to have a second turn

Round One: Shoulders

  • Partners are given one ball, which they move the ball by balancing it between each other’s shoulder as they walk to the opposite end. 
  • Try to make a pass without dropping the ball. Go to the end of the line after each turn.
  • Continue until everyone is back to the starting position.
  • Round Two: Balance the ball between your shoulders.
  • Round Three: Balance the ball between your hips
  • Round Three: Balance the ball between backs, posteriors?!

Torch Relay: Carry and pass tennis balls with golf tubes.

 

Fill the Bucket!

Setup and Equipment:

  • Four empty water buckets: One for each team at the opposite end (20 ft.)
  • One big container of water in the middle
  • 16: Small cups to carry the water in
  • One red, blue, yellow, and green cones or spots to designate teams.
  • Line up, relay style behind the cones, with all teams facing  the buckets at the other end.

Round One: Run to fill the Bucket:

  • Teams line up behind the cone or spot of their color team for directions:
  • The first person on each team has a cup to carry water in.
  • “Go”
  • Run to the center water container, dip your cup to get some water, now run to the bucket at the opposite end and dump it into the bucket.
  • Run back, hand the cup off to the next person in line and go to the end of the line.
  • Continue until one team fills the bucket.
  • Remember the most fun WINS!
  • When the cup gets to the last person in the line, they run all the way back up to the front, where the pattern of over/under passing continues.
  •  When everyone on the team has returned to their starting positions, they should sit down.
  • Continue to take as many turns as you can in five minutes.
  • You can do some comparison of the buckets to see who has the most, if it seems important to the group.

 Round Two: Bucket Brigade:

  • Team members stand side to side, next to each other:
  • One full bucket at one end. One empty bucket at the other end.
  • “Go”
  • Pass the full cup of water down your line, passing side to side.
  • When it gets to the last person in line, they put the water in the bucket, then run with the empty cup to the opposite end and fill the cup with water and send it down the line.
  • You may want to add additional cups, to fill the bucket faster.

Additional Ideas: If you finish the relays, you could repeat one of them, to see if they could do it faster.

Pass the Water over your head and to the person behind You.                           Good for Hot Day!